Transgender student says CPCC security harassed her

[neeksgeek]

I rarely post here on DU or online in general, but I had to put this one up. I'm not sure whether I'm more embarrassed by the fact that I teach at this college, or by the nasty comments of some of my fellow Charlotteans below the article.

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) -
Andraya Williams was leaving the women's restroom on the first floor of the Overcash Building at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte. The 22-year-old was heading to class but didn't make it. Instead, the first semester freshman says she had an encounter that has soured her college experience.

"As I was exiting, the female security guard was coming in and she stopped me and asked me could she see me my student ID," says Williams. "And I told her yes and I asked her why. And she asked me was I male or female. And I told her female and she laughed."

http://www.wbtv.com/story/25159660/transgender-student-says-cpcc-security-harassed-her-protest-planned

[enlightenment]

1. Egregious, especially with the doublespeak.

Given that the Dean apparently said that she has to present proof that she has completed reassignment surgery. At 22, it is possible this is the case - but not likely - so he was essentially telling her that the school wouldn't bother to stop the harassment.

Hiding under the cover of an out-dated law is pretty much the opposite of "not tolerating harassment of any kind".

[Shannon1981]

2. Sadly...

I am not surprised by this at all. I am a genetic woman and a lesbian. There have been times in my life, especially when my hair was very short and I was much thinner, where, on first glance, you might not have been able to tell if I was male or female. Once, in Charlotte Douglas airport, I was washing my hands in the women's restroom and a security guard asked what I was doing in there. I calmly told her I was female. She asked for ID proving it. I gave it to her. Luckily, it didn't go any further than that, but the woman looked at me with clear disgust. If this can happen to a genetic woman who doesn't fit what people think a genetic woman should look like, then imagine the situation with transgender women. In short, we still have a long way to go when it comes to stuff like this.